Kids in the Hallway

PHOENIX —  So much for the Hallway Series.

The L.A. party never got started because of the resilient Phoenix Suns, who overcame a 3-1 deficit in their first-round playoff victory over the Lakers.

Although there won’t be as much buzz in the Staples Center hallways without the Lakers, the Clippers say they still plan to show L.A. a good time.

The Clippers have a postseason appointment with the Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, attempting to climb higher in a franchise-best season.

Phoenix won’t make it easy, pushing the Clippers to play faster than they would prefer. It’s all about tempo when facing the high-scoring Suns, and the Clippers say they’ll need to play it cool tonight in Game 1 at US Airways Center.

“Phoenix is on a roll right now, and if you let them come out shooting, and they get up on you, it’s hard to come back,” center Chris Kaman said. “They make it tough on you because then you’re playing their game, that run-and-gun stuff, and most teams can’t keep up with them.

“But if we can start every game with a slower tempo, and keep the game lower-scoring than they like, it’s to their disadvantage and our advantage. That’s really what you need to do against them.”

The Lakers tried in the previous round.

They held the Suns, who led the NBA in scoring, under 100 points in their three victories. Phoenix, however, averaged 117 points in its four wins.

The Suns routed the Lakers, 121-90, in Saturday’s Game 7, becoming only the eighth team in league history to win a series after trailing 3-1.

“Tempo, tempo, tempo,” Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “If you could tell me the tempo of each game beforehand, I’ll tell you who wins each game.”

That’s where power forward Elton Brand and Kaman come in.

Inside scoring is among the factors that could determine the pace of a game, because teams with productive low-post scorers are often adept at using the shot clock, reducing opponents’ possessions in the process.

Brand and Kaman are among the game’s top inside tandems, and their scoring could help the Clippers make things slower than the Suns would prefer.

“I really don’t think anybody can control the pace on us,” Phoenix Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s our activity, and how we run and how we respond, that is the key. I thought after the initial jitters against the Lakers, we responded well.

“That’s how I hope we are right from the start with the Clippers.

So Brand and Kaman must deliver for the Clippers to win the series?

“One way or another, yeah, but it could show up in different ways,” Dunleavy said. “Obviously, it could be in numbers, scoring.

“But it could also come from [Phoenix] having to double-team them. That could create shots for our other guys -- good shots.”

Of course, that was the Lakers’ plan too, and they had good stretches going inside to Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom against the Suns’ undersized frontline of Boris Diaw -- the NBA’s most improved player -- Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas.

The strategy ultimately failed, however, in part because Brown committed turnovers as he struggled to catch passes. He also missed eight of 10 shots in Game 7.

And with that, the Suns were off and running.

“We have to play to our strengths,” Brand said. “And our strength all year has been playing inside-out ... and getting everyone involved.”

The Clippers finished second to the Suns in the Pacific Division, and the teams split the season series, 2-2.

In their most impressive road victory of the regular season, the Clippers defeated the Suns, 119-105, on April 5, with point guard Sam Cassell sitting out because of an injury. Brand scored a game-high 34 points to lead seven Clippers in double figures, the Clippers outrebounded the Suns, 53-38, and second-year point guard Shaun Livingston had a strong performance: 12 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and only one turnover in 36 minutes.

Livingston, along with swingman Quinton Ross, also set the tone on defense, combining to help contain point guard Steve Nash -- who won his second consecutive most valuable player award Sunday.

“I think what it comes down to, when we get up to gear, it’s very difficult for them,” Nash said. “When we move and are active, it really hurts them.

“Conversely, if we don’t, their size and strength and power can really hurt us. It’s going to be a real battle of wills.”

The Clippers have reached this point, in part, because of Cassell’s clutch shooting and leadership, but the 13-year veteran acknowledges defense is not the best part of his game.

Phoenix creates mismatches and gets high-percentage shots because of its speed and quickness, which might prompt Dunleavy to reduce Cassell’s role.

“It’s difficult, man, because Nash makes it difficult,” swingman Cuttino Mobley said. “They can win if Nash scores 32, and they can win if he scores six.

“You never know where he’s going to pass it, so they’re a hard scout. And man ... he keeps all those guys’ stomachs full. With him, they can all score 20.”

Nash suffered an ankle injury late in the first half of Game 7 against the Lakers, but he’ll be ready tonight, the Clippers said.

The Clippers limited the Denver Nuggets to 38% field-goal shooting in winning their first-round series in five games, but the Suns present a bigger challenge because, Mobley said, “Denver didn’t really have that many spot-up shooters to spread the floor. Yeah, we played ‘D,’ but they didn’t have the shooters to stretch us. Phoenix has the shooters.”

The Suns are back at work after only a one-day break, and the Clippers had seven days between games. Could “rust” be a factor?

“We have to wait and see,” Brand said, “if we come out lethargic, or come out looking well-rested.”

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How they match up

A look at the Clippers and Phoenix Suns’ regular-season averages, and how they fared in their four head-to-head meetings:

*--* During the regular season: CLIPPERS SUNS 97.2 POINTS 108.4 43.1 REBOUNDS 41.8 20.8 ASSISTS 26.6 6.5 STEALS 6.7 6.1 BLOCKS 5.0 46.5 FIELD-GOAL PCT. 47.9 34.4 3-POINT FG PCT. 39.9 79.1 FREE-THROW PCT. 80.6 14.5 TURNOVERS 13.3

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*--* Head-to-head (tied, 2-2): CLIPPERS SUNS 104.3 POINTS 108.5 51.3 REBOUNDS 40.3 20.0 ASSISTS 26.8 6.0 STEALS 5.0 3.8 BLOCKS 3.0 44.0 FIELD-GOAL PCT. 46.6 33.3 3-POINT FG PCT. 39.5 74.8 FREE-THROW PCT. 83.6 12.8 TURNOVERS 11.5

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Source: NBA.com

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Keys to the series

Jason Reid’s keys for the Clippers against Phoenix:

* 1. Tempo: This could be every key. If the Suns play at their preferred fast pace, the Clippers should make off-season vacation plans. In this series, the slower the better for the Clippers.

* 2. Fastbreak defense: The Clippers contained the Denver Nuggets, who led the league in fastbreak points, in the first round. Guess who finished second?

* 3. Shot selection: As in the first round, the Clippers must avoid quick shots that could trigger the Suns’ fastbreak.